


A promise of hope

by madswritings



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, F/M, Hurt Credence, platonic fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 21:38:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10396707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madswritings/pseuds/madswritings
Summary: You are Credence’s friend and you can’t help but hate Mary Lou for beating him. | As per request on Tumblr





	

**Author's Note:**

> I feel really emotional about this one. Credence is an amazing character and I definitely belong to his defense squad. By writing this one I made myself sad. Really really sad.

You are watching the windows of Barebone residence. To be exact you’re watching the room Credence should be in right now. You saw him not long ago returning to his home but he haven’t appeared in his room yet and it makes you worry that his mother is doing something horrible to him again. It wouldn’t be the first time and you doubt it will be the last either but it enrages you nonetheless.   
You are older than Credence and from a family of a middle class status but that didn’t stop you from befriending a boy that was abused even back then. When you first saw him, when he came with Mary Lou to the place they are currently living in, you couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He desperately wanted to hold his mother’s hand but she either purposively ignored him efforts for affection and comfort or was just too busy to notice a child that depended on her for guidance. You felt instant despise for Mary Lou and these feelings haven’t perished even today, to be true – they became even stronger. But back then you wanted to cheer Credence so you approached him. With a naivety of a child but fear of an abused animal he was curious about you but at the same time deadly afraid to be any closer than you were standing. You offered him a candy which you got from your friend and introduced yourself. He took it, but not before checking if Mary Lou was watching. When he saw that she’s not watching (she was spreading her pamphlets about something you didn’t care at that time) Credence firmly wrapped his fingers around the candy and quickly pulled his hand away. But he told you his name in return and that was a start to what you think is a beautiful friendship. You are Credence’s single friend and only because you are living so close. Any other connections he tried to make, every attempt he found courage in himself to make to get new friends, they were all shut down by Mary Lou before Credence was able to say anything more than hello.  
Your friendship indeed was beautiful but giving a lonely boy your friendship and support wasn’t enough for you especially after you learned that Mary Lou is beating him for almost everything he does to ‘teach him a lesson’. You talked to him, but Credence refused to stand up to his mother. He often claimed that she saved him and he deserves to be punished because he has ‘dirty blood’ in his veins. You never understood what that meant but it didn’t stop you from going to your parents and asking them to help Credence.  
Sadly, your parents didn’t want to do anything with neither Mary Lou nor her children. While they liked Credence, they knew him only from your stories and as your father said: “It’s none of our business dear, how a mother disciplines her child. And it’s probably not that bad, Y/N.”   
Your parents, like so many parents through history, thought that you’re only overreacting because Credence is your friend and sometimes children need to get their ass whipped to teach them manners. Thank God your parents never touched you but they started ‘teaching you manners’ from the very start so you knew how to behave when it was needed.  
But you knew that this is not the case with Credence. Credence always was and is a good young man, a quiet and gentle person who just wants to be happy. And you want him to be happy too. That’s how you once approached Mary Lou and it almost ended in you getting beaten too. You yelled at her to stop beating her children and she was more than displeased at you sticking your nose in her business. She had a belt in her hand and Mary Lou almost struck you but Credence showed up and quickly led you away from his screaming mother. Later he got the beating you should’ve had and you never felt guiltier but Credence didn’t blame you. He told you that he appreciates your worry but warned not do to this again.  
So now you’re just watching his window helplessly, still trying to figure out how you could help him. Finally, when you start to feel sleepy despite your best efforts to stay awake you see something moving in his window. Then you notice a candlelight which is brought by the window and you see Credence’s face. Even from this distance you can see that his cheek is cut and Credence can’t raise his eyes to you, you just sense that.  
You raise your hand to greet him, but he just stands there for a moment, then leaves the candle on the windowsill and moves into the darkness of the room. You freeze with your hand still in the air. Your smile, which appeared on your face when you finally saw Credence, beaten but still alive, fades in a moment. Slowly you lower your hand feeling dread in your heart. It never was this bad. No matter how strong Mary Lou beats Credence he always waves back and gives you a smile. But not today.  
Sleep you felt just a moment ago is gone and you stare at the candle waiting for Credence to show up, but he doesn’t. An hour passes and you understand that he’s not going to greet you like he usually does so you step back from the window and turn your back on it.   
Without you noticing, something dark mist-like starts seeping from Credence’s window until it disappears into the night.  
________________________________________  
You could barely sleep last night so early in the morning you were already by your door, waiting for Credence to go to the streets with his sister to spread the pamphlets of New Salem among the people. When you notice the door open you see Credence exiting first so you exit your house and sneak around to catch him when he will be passing by the small alley not too far from your home.  
You wait patiently until Credence finally appears and you grab his elbow pulling him deep into the alley. Credence looks surprised at first but when he notices it’s you he lets you drag him to the shadow. When you stop you turn to him and your shoulders drop.  
Credence’s face is all beat up. His left cheek indeed was cut and now it’s swollen with a shade of dark purple. His right eye is swollen too, he can barely keep it open and it’s deep red.  
“Oh Credence…” You whisper and for a moment he lowers his chin then raises his face to you and gives a genuine smile.  
“It looks worse than it feels.” He says but you can’t help feeling sorry. Tears wells in your eyes and you pull him to you, gently pressing his head to your chest while you hold him firmly.  
“Please Credence, don’t lie to me.” You whisper with your eyes closed, fighting the desire to sob for this hurt soul that you’re holding.  
Credence doesn’t move for a moment, then slowly, very slowly and carefully his hands wrap around you. The more seconds pass the more firmly he squeezes you with his trembling hands.  
“I deserve this Y/N.” He finally mutters and you let out a painful cry, tears finally rolling down your face. You carefully take Credence’s face into your hands and lift it so he could look at you.  
“You don’t deserve anything like this Credence.” You say strictly but it doesn’t sound strong because your voice is shaking. “You don’t deserve this. What she does to you… Credence, you’re a sweet, sensitive man. What you could’ve done to actually deserve this from a woman who should be your mother?”  
“But she is my Ma.” Credence gives you a small smile and you don’t know what to say. You can see clearly that he honestly doesn’t blame her, that he actually thinks he should get beaten.  
You push Credence’s head against your chest again and wrap your arms around him as firmly as you can.  
“Credence, I hate your Ma. I really do. And if I could stop all this – I would.” You whisper into his hair and after a moment you feel Credence shaking in your arms.  
“I don’t deserve to be saved.” You hear him say through tears and you have to close your eyes and clench your jaw so you don’t start sobbing.  
“You will be saved. You-“ You suddenly stop. You open your eyes then with one hand you wipe your tears away. “Credence, let’s run away.” You say and you know this is crazy, you really have no reason to run away but for Credence, for your best friend, you will do it.  
“W-what?” Credence raises his eyes full of tears to you. Another glance at his beaten up face makes your heart break in two.  
“Let’s run away, Credence. From here, from Mary Lou, from everything.”  
“But-but we have no money.” Credence is slouching since when you hugged him, but you help him straighten his back. You start pulling on his lapels to fix his clothing which got a bit wrinkled by you grasping at each other. Another tear slips down your face but you quickly wipe it away.  
“I can take my parent’s savings and we can leave New York. We will find jobs and we will start anew. I will help you, Credence.” You say without looking at him because you would only start crying again. “I won’t stay idle when your so called Ma is beating you.” Your voice is strict and strong this time. It takes a moment for Credence to fully grasp what you’re suggesting. He suddenly looks sad and when you glance at him you freeze, then feel sadness too. “You won’t go, won’t you?”  
“I’m sorry, Y/N.” He mutters and looks you in the eyes. Despite the pain, physical and mental, you see determination and you sigh.  
“Why, Credence? Just tell me why.” You don’t look away this time, you want to see if he’s being honest with you or if he just doesn’t want to make you run away from your life.  
“Because I met s-someone. Someone who p-promised me change. And you won’t have to destroy your life.” There’s a small but genuine smile on Credence’s lips and you feel shock.   
“Who is this person?” You ask curious but at the same time cautious. Maybe this person just wants to hurt Credence.  
“I can’t tell you.” Credence’s voice becomes stronger and he obviously feels more confident than a moment ago when he revealed his ‘big secret’ to you. “But he’s a very important person and I believe he’s not lying.”  
You press your lips into thin line thinking as you watch Credence light up with hope and promise of a better tomorrow.  
“Are you sure you can trust this man?” You finally ask and Credence gives you a short nod. You sigh and take his fingers into your hands. “Then I believe you. I believe you this man can help you. Just… be careful.” You add and Credence gives you a confused look. “Not every man tells his true reasons for helping anyone. Just make sure he doesn’t want to just use you.” You explain and Credence slowly nods again. “Good.” You smile to him then cup his face once more and make him lean so you can plant a kiss on his forehead.  
“Please don’t worry about me, Y/N.” Credence says as your lips presses against his warm skin and you look him in the eyes with a smile.  
“I will always worry about you. Now come, we have to do something about these bruises. And your cut doesn’t look too good either.” You wrap your arm around his elbow and start leading him back to the street with an intention if bringing him home.  
“But Ma might see me.”  
“She won’t. Trust me, she’s busy now.” You reassure Credence and when you don’t hear him neither respond nor feel resisting you, you deeply sigh.  
Better this man saves Credence soon or you won’t able to just watch no matter what Credence made you promise. 

**Author's Note:**

> Want me to write a fic for you? Check my tumblr @madswritings.tumblr.com for current fic status and rules.


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